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Beaver County, Utah

Coordinates: 38°20′N 113°14′W / 38.34°N 113.23°W / 38.34; -113.23
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Beaver County
County
Old Beaver County courthouse.
Old Beaver County courthouse.
Map of Utah highlighting Beaver County
Location within the U.S. state of Utah
Map of the United States highlighting Utah
Utah's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°20′N 113°14′W / 38.34°N 113.23°W / 38.34; -113.23
Country United States
State Utah
Founded1856
Named forNorth American beaver
SeatBeaver
Largest cityBeaver
Area
 • Total
2,592 sq mi (6,710 km2)
 • Land2,590 sq mi (6,700 km2)
 • Water2.1 sq mi (5 km2)  0.08%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
7,072
 • Estimate 
(2023)[1]
7,233
 • Density2.7/sq mi (1.1/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websitebeaver.utah.gov

Beaver County is a county in west central Utah, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 7,072,[2] up from the 2010 figure of 6,629.[3] Its county seat and largest city is Beaver.[4] The county was named for the abundance of beaver in the area.

History

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Explorers of European descent first visited present-day Beaver County in the 1776 Domínguez-Escalante Expedition. The proposed territory of Deseret (soon changed to Utah Territory) began with the arrival of Mormon pioneers in 1847. After the immediate Great Salt Lake City area was settled, settlers moved into more outlying areas, including the future Beaver County area. The county was created by the Utah territorial legislature from a section of Iron County on January 5, 1856, before the settlement of Beaver town was founded later that year. The county was named for the animal, which was plentiful there.[5] The county boundary as delineated by that act included areas in present-day Colorado and Nevada. The defined boundary was altered on January 16, 1861, by the creation of two counties in present Nevada. The county area was effectively reduced on February 28, 1861, by the US Congress when it created Colorado Territory, taking all of the Beaver County areas east of 109 degrees longitude. The county's boundary was enlarged on January 17, 1861, by the addition of parcels from Millard, Sanpete, and St. Mary's counties. However, its west area was reduced by the creation of the Nevada Territory on July 14, 1862 (this adjustment was altered on May 5, 1866, by the action of the US Congress, effectively ceding all Beaver County area west of 114 degrees longitude to Nevada counties). The county area was also reduced on January 16, 1865, when Piute County was created from Beaver territory.[6]

A quarter of the county's workers are employed by hog processor Smithfield Foods.[7]

Geography

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Beaver County (UT) Details

Beaver County lies on the west side of Utah. Its west border abuts the east border of the state of Nevada. The west part of the county consists of low rolling hills punctuated by isolated mountains. The east edge of the county runs to the crest of a north–south-running mountain ridge.[8] The terrain slopes to the west and north; its highest point is a mountain crest on its east border, at 12,011 ft (3,661 m) ASL.[9] The county has a total area of 2,592 square miles (6,710 km2), of which 2,590 square miles (6,700 km2) is land and 2.1 square miles (5.4 km2) (0.08%) is water.[10]

The Tushar Mountains lies on the eastern boundary of the county, reaching to 12,000 feet (3,700 m) in elevation and providing water for the farming communities of Beaver and Manderfield. To the west, barren desert valleys typify the scenery, separated by mountains lightly forested with junipers. [citation needed]

Adjacent counties

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Protected areas

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[8]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1860785—
18702,007155.7%
18803,91895.2%
18903,340−14.8%
19003,6138.2%
19104,71730.6%
19205,1398.9%
19305,136−0.1%
19405,014−2.4%
19504,856−3.2%
19604,331−10.8%
19703,800−12.3%
19804,37815.2%
19904,7658.8%
20006,00526.0%
20106,62910.4%
20207,0726.7%
2023 (est.)7,233[1]2.3%
US Decennial Census[11]
1790–1960[12] 1900–1990[13]
1990–2000[14] 2010–2018[3] 2019[15] 2020[2]

According to the 2020 United States census[16] and 2020 American Community Survey,[17] there were 7,072 people in Beaver County with a population density of 2.7 people per square mile (1.1/km2). Among non-Hispanic or Latino people, the racial makeup was 5,717 (80.8%) White, 23 (0.3%) African American, 70 (1.0%) Native American, 32 (0.5%) Asian, 21 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 8 (0.1%) from other races, and 135 (1.9%) from two or more races. 1,066 (15.1%) people were Hispanic or Latino.

There were 3,758 (53.14%) males and 3,314 (46.86%) females, and the population distribution by age was 2,162 (30.6%) under the age of 18, 3,862 (54.6%) from 18 to 64, and 1,048 (14.8%) who were at least 65 years old. The median age was 34.4 years.

There were 2,276 households in Beaver County with an average size of 3.11 of which 1,692 (74.3%) were families and 584 (25.7%) were non-families. Among all families, 1,368 (60.1%) were married couples, 140 (6.2%) were male householders with no spouse, and 184 (8.1%) were female householders with no spouse. Among all non-families, 497 (21.8%) were a single person living alone and 87 (3.8%) were two or more people living together. 900 (39.5%) of all households had children under the age of 18. 1,719 (75.5%) of households were owner-occupied while 557 (24.5%) were renter-occupied.

The median income for a Beaver County household was $66,705 and the median family income was $75,066, with a per-capita income of $24,540. The median income for males that were full-time employees was $53,514 and for females $36,696. 4.1% of the population and 2.9% of families were below the poverty line.

In terms of education attainment, out of the 3,871 people in Beaver County 25 years or older, 334 (8.6%) had not completed high school, 1,046 (27.0%) had a high school diploma or equivalency, 1,492 (38.5%) had some college or associate degree, 862 (22.3%) had a bachelor's degree, and 137 (3.5%) had a graduate or professional degree.

Politics and government

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Beaver County voters have traditionally voted Republican. In no national election since 1964 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate. Jimmy Carter in 1976 was the last Democrat to even come within ten points of winning Beaver County.

State elected offices
Position District Name Affiliation First elected
  Senate 24 Derrin Owens Republican 2020[18]
  Senate 28 Evan Vickers Republican 2012[19]
  House of Representatives 68 Merrill Nelson Republican 2012[20]
  House of Representatives 73 Phil Lyman Republican 2018[21]
  Board of Education 14 Mark Huntsman Nonpartisan 2014[22]
United States presidential election results for Beaver County, Utah[23]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 2,781 86.29% 394 12.22% 48 1.49%
2020 2,695 86.94% 357 11.52% 48 1.55%
2016 1,838 73.37% 264 10.54% 403 16.09%
2012 2,174 84.92% 346 13.52% 40 1.56%
2008 1,902 75.54% 542 21.53% 74 2.94%
2004 2,023 79.52% 493 19.38% 28 1.10%
2000 1,653 73.40% 541 24.02% 58 2.58%
1996 1,164 55.59% 687 32.81% 243 11.60%
1992 1,040 49.27% 668 31.64% 403 19.09%
1988 1,286 60.89% 816 38.64% 10 0.47%
1984 1,516 67.95% 708 31.73% 7 0.31%
1980 1,477 68.47% 621 28.79% 59 2.74%
1976 1,088 52.41% 963 46.39% 25 1.20%
1972 1,332 64.88% 682 33.22% 39 1.90%
1968 989 50.87% 795 40.90% 160 8.23%
1964 792 39.98% 1,189 60.02% 0 0.00%
1960 971 45.65% 1,156 54.35% 0 0.00%
1956 1,190 53.60% 1,030 46.40% 0 0.00%
1952 1,277 55.16% 1,038 44.84% 0 0.00%
1948 1,057 46.69% 1,190 52.56% 17 0.75%
1944 958 45.88% 1,128 54.02% 2 0.10%
1940 1,101 45.78% 1,303 54.18% 1 0.04%
1936 913 40.38% 1,337 59.13% 11 0.49%
1932 969 44.03% 1,218 55.34% 14 0.64%
1928 1,149 54.98% 936 44.78% 5 0.24%
1924 989 53.34% 578 31.18% 287 15.48%
1920 1,056 57.49% 741 40.34% 40 2.18%
1916 842 38.38% 1,291 58.84% 61 2.78%
1912 671 39.75% 602 35.66% 415 24.59%
1908 945 56.02% 714 42.32% 28 1.66%
1904 869 58.17% 593 39.69% 32 2.14%
1900 682 51.90% 629 47.87% 3 0.23%
1896 205 16.24% 1,057 83.76% 0 0.00%

Communities

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Map of Beaver County municipalities

Cities

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Towns

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Unincorporated communities

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Former communities

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Recreation

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  • The American Discovery Trail traverses the county running through both Beaver and Milford.
  • Elk Mountain is home to the Eagle Point Ski area.
  • Rock Corral Recreation Area, an area of geologic interest managed by the BLM

Education

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There is one school district, Beaver School District.[24]

See also

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References

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Specific
  1. ^ a b "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  2. ^ a b 2020 Population and Housing State Data | Utah
  3. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
  4. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 4, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  5. ^ Van Cott, J. W., 1990, Utah Place Names, ISBN 0-87480-345-4
  6. ^ "[[Newberry Library]]. Individual County Chronologies - Beaver County UT (accessed March 25, 2019)". Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  7. ^ "1 in 4 employees in this Utah county work for one company — and it's cutting jobs". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d Beaver County UT Google Maps (accessed 13 March 2019)
  9. ^ ""Find an Altitude/Beaver County UT" Google Maps (accessed March 13, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  10. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  11. ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  12. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  13. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  14. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  15. ^ "QuickFacts. Beaver County, Utah". Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  16. ^ United States Census Bureau. "2020 Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics File (DHC)". Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  17. ^ United States Census Bureau. "American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2009-2022)". Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  18. ^ "Senator Owens Utah Senate". senate.utah.gov. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  19. ^ "Senator Vickers Utah Senate". senate.utah.gov. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  20. ^ "Rep. Nelson, Merrill F." Utah House of Representatives. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  21. ^ "Rep. Lyman, Phil". Utah House of Representatives. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  22. ^ "Mark Huntsman". www.schools.utah.gov. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  23. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  24. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Beaver County, UT" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 28, 2024. - Text list
General
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